Beet topper



Dec. 25, 1928. 1,696,398 o. H. HANSEN BEET TOPPER Filed Aug. 18. 1924ZAA/EA/TO if A rToRA/EK Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

- tur intros.

OSWALID H. HANSEN; OF FORT WASHINGTON, W191(iQNslhl, ASSIGNCR TO HANSENCAIN- NENG MACHINERY CORPORATION} OF CEDAR'BURG, WISCONSIN, ACURPOEHKTION OF WISCONSIN.

nnntr TOPPER.

vApplication filed. August 18, 1924. serial No. 732,875.

This invention relates in general 'to 'im movements in the art ofremoving superfluous appendages from tuberous edible substances, andrelates more specifically to improvements in the constructionandoperation of mechanisms for automatically'and effectivelyremoving-husks, leaves and other undesirable vegetation fromfarnrxproducts such as corn, beet-s and the like.

An object of the invention is=to provide a machine for removingsuperfluous appendages from corn, beets, and the like, which is simplein construction and eflicient in operation. Another object'of theinvention is to provide compact mechanism adapted to husk corn, topbeets, or to perform similar operations, having enormous capacity andwhich is capable of effectively removing the superfluous materialwithout damaging the valuable portions of the objects treated. A furtherobject of the inventionis to provide improved means for protecting therelatively frail elements of husking and topping machines andfor'insuring automatic and e'liicient lubrication of all of the-bearingsof such mechanisms. Still another object of the invention is to providea simplified rigid frame structure for husltingand topping machines andto equip such devices with simpler and moreeii'ieient means for guidingthe objects therethrough. Anotherobject of the invention is to provideimproved driving mechanism for topping and husking machines, and also toprovide*instrumentah ities for facilitating rapid a'ssemblage anddismantling of mechanisms'of this class. A further object of theinvention is to'provide various improvements intopping and i huskingmechanisms, which will reduce to a minimum the cost of manufacture andoperation and which will enhance to a maximum the e'iliciency thereof.These and other objects and advantages oi the improvement will beapparent in the course of the'it'ollovving'de scription.

Severalof the novel features of topping and husliingmachine structuredisclosed but not specifically claimed'herein, form the subjectofcopending applications Serial No. (370,429, filed October 2%, l923,andSerial No. (387,191, filed January 19, 1924i.

A clear conception 'of an embodiment of the present invention and'ot theoperation of --mechanisms constructed 'in accordance therewith may behad by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part ofthisspeciiication in which like reference characters designate the sameor similar parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a lon 'itudinal vertical section taken through one of therolls ofan improved topping or husking machine. Fig. 2' is a top view ofthe improved topping or huskmg machine.

Fig.3 a fragmentaryenlarged trans verse section through the improvedtopping or husking 1'X1&Cl1l116,' the section being taken in the planeof the axis oi? the'maiii driving shaft. I

Fig.4 is transverse section through the rolls distributing'tlap andguidingavalls'of the improved topping or husking'machine.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal section through the lowerroll supporting structure and a fragment of one'o f the rolls.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal section through the upperroll supportingand driving.structure and a fragmentof one of the rolls.

While the invention is disclosedherein as being specifically applied toa'beet topping machine, it should be'understood that the improvement iscapable" OflnOIQ general application try-machines for auton'iaticallytreating other objects, such as' corn in the v22 associated with theframeQ l; a hopper consisting of inclined side plates 10, 11 torconfining and guiding therbeets o'along the rolls 2, 3; a one-piecesupply chute let for de livering the beets 5 into and along the-guidinghopper; mechanism 'torcontinuously rotating the rolls 2, 3 upon theirrespective supporting shaft 7,8;5 and improveddevices for supporting,housing and lubricating the driving mechanism.

The fluted rolls 2, 3 are preferably of identical form being providedwith end bores and intermediate grease confining chambers 32 connectingthe bores. As shown in Fig. 4l, the rolls 2, 3 are of uniformstar-shaped cross-section throughout their lengths, the ridges andgrooves of the rolls intermeshing during rotation thereof.

The stationary inclined roll supporting shaft-s 7, 8 coact with the endbores of the rolls 2, 8 respectively, and are provided at their oppositeends with lubricating ducts for insuring proper lubrication from greasecups of the bearing surfaces between the rolls 2, 3 and the shafts i, S.The supporting shafts 7, 8 are detachably secured to the lowerstationary supports 21 in any suitable manner and have thrust collars 31detachably secured thereto. The thrust collars 31 coact with lower endsurfaces of tie roils 2, 3 and are preferably located entirely Withinrecesses formed in the lower roll ends in order to protect the thrustbearings and to prevent entry of dirt, see Fig. 5.

The roll driving mechanism comprises gears 25, 2O detachably associatedwith the upper extremities of the rolls 2, 3 respectively and rotatablysupported upon the shafts 7, 8 respectively; coaxial helical gears 12,18 meshing with the gears 25, 2O respectively; a main horizontal drivingshaft 15 drivingly associated with the 12, 13 and rotatably supported inball bearings 19; a driving pulley 16 rigidly attached to the shaft 15;an idler pulley 17 rotatably mounted upon the end of the shaft 15adjacent to the pulley 16; and a casing eldetachably and adjustablysecured to the frame 2%. and forming a support and housing for the shaft15, bearings19 and the gears 12, 13, 20, 25, see Figs. 3 and 6. Thecasing 4 is preferably formed with identical opposite open ends so thatthe pulleys 16, 17 may be disposed on either side of the machine, andthe shaft 15 is preferably provided with detachable collars 26 coactingwith the ends of the casing 4 adjacent to the ball bearings 19 in orderto prevent endwise displacement of the shaft. At the pulley end of thecasing 4:, a removable cap 28 is pierced by the shaft 15, the cap 28being fastened to the end of the casing and being provided with packingalong the shaft 15. The opposite end of the casing l is closed by meansof a removable imperforate cap 27 which is likewise fastened to thecasing end. The interior of the casing 1 forms a grease confiningchamber 23 which is accessible by virtue of a removable upper cap orcover 18 between which and the casing 4, the upper supports 22 of theshafts 7, 8 are formed. The joints between the upper ends of the rolls2, 3, the casing 4t and the cap 18 are sealed by means of a packing 3 1in order to prevent escape of lubricant from and entry of dirt to thechamber 23.

The cover 18 has an upwardly projecting integral flange 33 at its lowerend, which snugly fits the bottom of the beet supply chute 1d andprevents dirt from passing beneath the chute. The supply chute 14: isformed of a single piece of sheet metal having a bottom and relativelyinclined sides, and is supported by means of the flange and a bridgeelement 30 which connects the sides of the main frame 24. The beetconfning and guiding hopper comprises identical sheet metal plane sideplates 10, 11 which are rigidly attached to the side. elements of themain frame 24: and which may also be rigidly secured to the inclinedside walls of the supply chute 1 1. The lower and upper edges of theside plates 10, 11 may be reenforced by means of angle irons, and theupper edges of the plates 10, 11 are connected by a heavy screen 2?)which covers the working chamber. A pivoted distributing and reboundprevent ing flap 9 is suspended from a pivot rod which likewise connectsthe upper edges of the hopper side plates 10, 11.

During normal operation of the improved beet topper, the fluted rolls2.. 3 are rotated continuously in opposite directions upon thesupporting shafts 7, 8, by means of power applied to the driving pulley1G and transmitted from the pulley 16 through the shaft 15 and gears 25,20, 12, 18 directly to the rolls 2, 3. As viewed in Fig. -11, the roll 2is rotated in a clockwise direction while the roll 3 is rotated in acounter-clockwise direction. The beets which it is desired to top, aresupplied in bulk to the supply chute 14 and advance by gravity into thespace above the rolls 2, 3 and between the hopper side walls 10, 11. Asthe tangled mass of beets is deposited upon the rotating fluted rolls 2,3, the individual beets are segregated from the mass and are tumbledabout until the tops (5 and other superfluous appendages such as roots,are eventually drawn downwardly between the cooperating ridges andgrooves of. the rolls and are nipped from the bulbs 5 as shown inFig. 1. The materials thus removed drop by gravity to the space betweenthe side frames and may be removed in any convenient manner. The bulbs 5roll along the rotating rolls 2, 3 and are thoroughly scoured andcleaned being eventually discharged over the lower supports 21. Whilethe beets are passing through the machine, the screen 29 and the flap 9prevent excessive bouncing of the bulbs 5, the flap 9 also serving todistribute the beets in order to insure treatment of each individualobject admitted to the. machine.

The casing 4 may be filled with grease or ill] oil thus insuringabundant lubrication of the gears 12, 13, 20, 25 and of the ballbearings 19. Ihe packings between the shaft 15, rolls 2, 3, the casing4:, cap 18 and cap 28 prevent escape of the lubricant from and ingressof dirt to the casing 4. The bearing between the shaft 15 and the pulley17 may be lubricated by means of a grease cup at the end of the shaft15, and grease cups at the ends of the shafts 7 8 afford like means oflubricating the upper bearings of the rolls 2, 3. The lower bearings ofthe rolls 2, 3 are lubricated both by grease cups at the lower ends ofthe shafts 7, 8 and by the grease confined in the chamber 32, thusinsuring abundant lubrication of all bearings of the mechanism.

It will also be noted that all of the bearings are efiectively protectedfrom dirt and injury and that similar parts are identical in structureand therefore interchangeable. The stationary supporting shafts 7, 8 areidentical in structure and hence interchangeable, and this is also trueof the rolls 2, 3, the side members of the frame 24, the bearings 19,the flanged collars 26 and the hopper side plates 10, 11. The plates 10,11 and the chute 14 are formed of sheet metal which is reenforced inorder to provide a rigid structure. The shaft 15 -may be readilyreversed in order to effect driving from the opposite side of themachine and the cap 18 permits ready access to the helical gearing andto the ball bearings 19. The entire machine may be quickly assembled ordismantled without the use of special tools and may be operated withminimum power effectively applied.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention tothe exact de tails of construction herein shown and described forvarious modifications within the scope of the claims may occur topersons skilled in the art.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent 1. In combination,a pair of rotary inclined rolls having cooperating surfaces formed toremove appendages from objects travelling therealong, gears associatedwith the upper ends of said rolls for rotating the same, a housingenclosing said gears, sealing means for preventing ingress of'juice toand egress of lubricant from within said housing along said rollsurfaces, and means for delivering said objects upon said rolls belowsaid sealing means.

2. In combination, a pair of rotary inclined rolls having cooperatingsurfaces formed to remove appendages from objects travelling therealong,gears associated with the upper ends of said rolls for rotating thesame, a housing enclosing said gears, said housing comprising a lowerlubricant confining portion and a cap detachably associated with saidlower portion, packing means coacting with said lower housing portionand with said cap to prevent ingress of juice to and egress of lubricantfrom within said housing along said roll surfaces, and a feed plate fordelivering said objects to said rolls beyond said housing.

3. In combination, a pair of stationary inclined shafts, rollsjournalled on said shafts and having cooperating surfaces formed toremove appendages from objects travelling therealong, gears journalledon said shafts and associated with the upper ends of said rolls forrotating the same, a housing providing a support for said shafts andenclosing said'gears, and packing means for pre venting ingress of juiceto and egress of lubricant from said housing along said roll surfaces.

4. In combination, a pair of stationary inclined shafts, rollsjournalled on said shafts and having cooperating surfaces formed toremove appendages from objects travelling therealong, gears journalledon said shafts and associated with the upper ends of said rolls forrotating the same, a housing providing a support for said shafts andenclos ing said gears, said housing comprising a lower lubricantconfining portion and a cap detachably associated with said lowerportion, sealing means coacting with said lower housing portion and withsaid cap to prevent ingress of juice to and egress of lubricant fromsaid housing along said roll surfaces, and means extending over saidhousing and beyond said sealing means for delivering said objects tosaidrolls.

5. In combination, a pair of stationary inclined shafts, rolls journaledon said shafts and having cooperating surfaces formed toremoveappendages from objects travelling therealong, gears journalled onsaid shaft and detachably associated with the upper ends of said rollsfor rotating the same, a housing enclosing said gears and providing asupport for said shafts, said housing having a portion coacting with theunion between said gears and said rolls, and

sealing means at said union portion for pre venting ingress of juice toand egress of lubricant from said housing along said roll surfaces.

In testimony whereof, the signature of the inventor is afiixed hereto.

OSVVALD H. HANSEN.

